The stretch, from Pottery Road to the Riverdale Bridge, is here called the
Ravines Reach because three major tributaries, Castle Frank
Brook, Yellow Creek and Mud
Creek, each with a significant ravine system crossing old (pre
1998) Toronto entered here and a fourth smaller tributary, also with a ravine,
Cudmore Creek, entered just north of Pottery Road. The Don
has been re-routed through parts of this reach, most notably south of The
Prince Edward Viaduct in late 19th and early 20th centuries as part of the so-
called Don Improvement, and to the north in mid 20th century to accommodate
the Don Valley Parkway. The old course of the river is shown in light blue on
the map below.

There are many bridges across the Don River and this stretch is no exception.
To see a list with pictures of the bridges along The Don here, go to Ravines
Reach Bridges.

The woodlands along the Don Ravine and the tributary ravine add much to the
City. In the year 2000 The City of Toronto engaged the Toronto and Region
Conservation Authority to study the natural heritage features of the newly
amalgamated city. See the “City of Toronto Natural Heritage
Study”. An overlay showing vegitation
communities for the map can be seen by clicking as noted below.

While originally this area drained directly to the Don River, direct access is
now blocked by streets, railroads and The Don Valley Parkway; so most storm
water must pass through various culverts and small storm sewers to reach the
river. There are at least four storm sewers and six combined sewers plus a
number of culverts emptying into this stretch of the Don. The map below shows
the significant ones. To get an idea of how storm water is managed, see
RiverSides’ Water in the City Walk. Sanitary sewage
flows to the Ashbridge’s Sewage Treatment Plant. Some of the main sewers can
be seen by clicking as noted below.

Click here to see sewers. Double click to remove.

To see the City of Toronto's Natural Heritage Study vegetation communities,
click here. Double click to remove.

Route 1 - West of Bayview

Start by crossing Bayview Avenue at Pottery Road with the lights. Here one can
follow Bayview on the paved shoulder north to the Cudmore Creek
Ravine (and further to Moore Ave). or south to Brickworks
Park, where we leave Bayview and take park roads and
trails past the end of Mud Creek to the trail following the
route of the former Beltline Railway and the “Central
Ravines, Ravines, Beltline & Gardens” Discovery
Walk. The woodland on the slope above is notable.

Follow this trail into Park Drive Reservation Ravine to a sign
that points out Milkman’s Lane. Milkman’s Lane got its name as this road was
used by milkmen who got milk from the farms that used to be in the Don Valley
and delivered it to homes in the city. Take Milkman’s Lane to Cragleigh
Gardens Park, noting that the forest we walk through
on the slope of the ravine is especially fine including: Sugar Maple, Manitoba
Maple, Ash, White Birch, Beech, Oaks, Hemlock. Cragleigh Gardens Park contains
many fine old White & Red Oaks. Cross the park to the south-east corner; and
take the walkway to Castle Frank Road, and follow it to Bloor Street and
Castle Frank Subway Station. Along this street note the cluster of Kentucky
Coffee trees at Hawthorn Gardens and the historic house at the end of Drumsnab
Road, Drumsnab which is probably the oldest house in
Toronto that is still used as a private dwelling.

At Castle Frank Subway Station take the path just north of the station down to
Rosedale Valley Road. This is what is left of the first road that led from
Parliament Street into this end of Rosedale. For more about this ravine see
Rosedale Valley Reach of Castle Frank Brook. Follow Rosedale
Valley Road nearly to Bayview Avenue to a path that follows a little draw up
into Wellesley Park. This is all that is left of Lamb’s
Creek, known in the nineteenth century as the most
polluted stream in Toronto. Peter Lamb and his son Daniel had a tannery and
manufactured stove blacking here from 1849 to 1888. On the south-east is St
James Cemetery and the ridge to the north-east was the
location of Castle Frank, the summer home of the Sir
John and Lady Simcoe. Take the path up through Wellesley Park past the
Necropolis to Amelia Street and the site of Lamb’s
Glue and Stove Blacking Factory. From here follow
Sumach Street south to Riverdale Park where one takes park trails through
Riverdale Farm to the Riverdale Foot Bridge. To
continue on down along the Don River, see The Channelled
Don.

Route 2 - Between CN Rail and Bayview

This trail can be followed south to Rosedale Valley Road, where to continue
south one has to leave the valley for a bit. The quality of this trail varies
considerably. It starts as a dirt trail that leads south off Pottery Road just
east of Bayview. After passing the CPR bridge it follows the paved shoulder of
Bayview past the Brickworks. A separate paved trail begins opposite the entry
to a works building at the Binscarth Ravine. Just before it changes to a board
walk to go under the Bloor/Bayview Off Ramp to the DVP, note the Salt
Dome to the east. After this the paved trail resumes. It
may not be too noticeable, but one of Toronto’s snow dump
sites is located here between the CN Railway and the
Don River south of the Bloor/Bayview Off Ramp. Just north of the Prince
Edward Viaduct, note where the Spadina Trunk Storm Sewer
empties into the Don River. Finally a bit south of the Prince Edward Viaduct
the trail returns to the paved shoulder of Bayview which it follows as far as
Rosedale Valley Road. Here one takes the path, noted above
in Route 1, up through Wellesley Park past the
Necropolis to Amelia Street and the site of Lamb’s
Glue and Stove Blacking Factory. From here follow
Sumach Street south to Riverdale Park where one takes park trails through
Riverdale Farm to the Riverdale Foot Bridge. To continue on down along the Don
River, see The Channelled Don.

Route 3 - Lower Don Trail, Pottery Road to Riverdale, west of the DVP and generally east of the Don River

This is paved trail all the way and a favoured route for bicycles and joggers.
Except for the last 100 m or so, this trail lies east of the Don River. It is
also part of the “Don Valley Hills & Dales” Discovery
Walk. It starts just east (south) of the Pottery
Road Bridge. This is a double span bridge. The span carrying east-bound
traffic is quite recent, but the west-bound span is much older. It was built
in 1928 and refurbished in 1988. About 300 m down the trail note the rapids.
This is where one of the Lamprey Wiers was modified. Pass
under theCPR Railway bridge. This caries the CPR Don Valey Subdivision over
Don River on its way from Leaside to Union Station.

Just befor passing under the Prince Edward Viaduct,
note the out fall for the Spadina Storm trunk Sewer across the river.
(picture) Next we pass Chester Springs Marsh, a major
BBTD restoration project. Further on the trail passes under the CNR though a
tunnel. and then we pass the site of the former Winchester
Bridge, for many years, before the construction of the
Prince Edward Viaduct, the most northerly crossing of the Lower Don River.
Shortly before arriving at the Riverdale Foot Bridge, the trail crosses the
river on a small bridge to the west side. To continue on down along the Don
River, see The Channelled Don.

Route 4 - City streets and park trails east of the DVP

From Pottery Road and the Don River follow another segment of the “Don Valley
Hills & Dales” Discovery Walk. Go up Pottery
Road to Broadview Avenue, thence south and west along Chester Hill Road, to
the the Chester Hill Lookout. This provides a splendid panoramic view of the
valley.

Prince Edward Viaduct, the high buildings of downtown Toronto, CN Tower and the Salt Dome.

The Don Valley Brickworks

Helliwell’s Hill Wetland

Following the Discovery walk signs, take Thorncliffe and Cambidge Avenues to
the Danforth. This is an opportune time to visit Prince Edward
Viaduct and see the views of the Don Valley from it.
Bloor Street, the Viaduct, and Danforth Avenue are busy; it is better to cross
at the lights (at Castle Frank Road and at Broadview) rather than ducking
traffic to get across the highway in between.

Go to theSW corner of Broadview and Danforth Avenues and and west to the DVP
on Ramp cross it and take the trail with Discovery Walk signs south past the
City Adult Learning Centre. The path follows the small ravine of the former
Dallimore Creek to where it turns west towards the Don River. Dallimore Creek,
which was probably fed by springs was only about 400m long and entered the Don
River through a marshy area called Dallimore Swamp. At one time, Don Mills
Road took advantage of this cut in its run from the Winchester Street Bridge
to Broadview. This small valley now accomodates an on-ramp to the DVP. The
Taylor Tollgate was located near the top of this valley.

The trail crosses the valley on a foot bridge and by a series of ramps it
descends to the Don valley floor. Follow this trail through the woodland to
the open park, where one can walk across the grass to the Riverdale Foot
bridge. The young woodland on the slope at the north end of the open parkland
was the first restoration effort of the Task Force to Bring Back The
Don. Beside the trail, at the foot of the wooded slope
is the East Riverdale Wetland, a small wetland
established in a damp area of this park.

While walking to the Riverdale Foot bridge, note the small area of wet ground
on the east slope of the park, the East Riverdale Wet
Meadow, where native wetland plants have been
encouraged by the Task Force to Bring Back The Don.

Should one chose to walk down Broadview to Riverdale Park East, note 660
Broadview Ave., now part of Montcrest School, but originally the home of
William Peyton Hubbard, Toronto’s first City Councillor
of African descent. One can also follow RiverSides self guided walk about
Water In The City.

At the Riverdale Foot bridge one has the option of continuing down the Lower
Don Trail. See the Channelled Don.